Two Indigenous Australians celebrate in Sydney after watching the live television broadcast from Parliament House, Canberra, on February 13, 2008, where Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologised to the Stolen Generations.

Thousands of people gather at the Esplanade in Perth to listen to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologise to the Stolen Generations on February 13, 2008. The crowd applauded Prime Minister Kevin Rudd several times during his apology to the aboriginal stolen generation and gave him a standing ovation on completion of his speech.

Australian athlete and Olympic Gold medallist, Cathy Freeman, who is in Vanuatu to launch a talent programme, cries as she listens to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologise to the Stolen Generations on February 13, 2008.

Former Labor prime minister Paul Keating has accused Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson of missing the point in his response to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's apology to the Stolen Generations this morning.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (C) embraces members of Australia's Stolen Generation in House of Representatives chamber in Parliament House, Canberra, after Mr Rudd delivered an apology to the Stolen Generations on February 13, 2008.

Reconciliation Australia co-chair Mick Dodson says today's apology from the Federal Parliament has kick-started the healing process for not just the Stolen Generations but the country's race relations, which he says are in tatters. Mr Dodson, who led the Bringing Them Home inquiry with Sir Ronald Wilson, says compensation must be part of that process.

Reconciliation Australia co-chairperson Jackie Huggins hails today's apology to the Stolen Generations as a big step for Australian race relations and one of the strongest calls for reconciliation in the country's history. Watch an interview with Ms Huggins, in which she says this morning was one of the rare moments she felt proud to be an Australian.

Indigenous community members in the public gallery of the House of Representatives in Parliament House, Canberra, applaud after Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered the apology to the Stolen Generations on February 13, 2008.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd turns to the Indigenous people in the House of Representatives chamber to acknowledge them after giving his apology speech to the Stolen Generation at Parliament House, Canberra, on February 13, 2008.